I took two steps.
Suddenly, a strange ringing filled my ears.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Eric…”
He turned.
“Linda?”
I reached for my neck.
Then my legs gave out.
Everything went black.
The next thing I remember was the steady beeping of a hospital monitor.
I opened my eyes.
There was oxygen tubing beneath my nose.
A doctor was standing beside me.
“What happened?”
He explained that the fainting episode might have been connected to strong pressure around a sensitive area of my neck, with exhaustion and dehydration possibly making things worse.
My hand immediately went to my neck.
“Is there a mark?”
The doctor hesitated.
“Yes. And it will probably be visible for several days.”
My stomach dropped.
“Where is the man who was with me?”
“He called the ambulance.”
I closed my eyes.
But the doctor wasn’t finished.
He looked uncomfortable for a moment before
